The present invention relates to the technical field of printer devices, and more specifically relates to a linerless label printer.
Nowadays, the market provides a kind of linerless label which has a hydrophilic adhesive layer at its back. Adhesion property of the hydrophilic adhesive layer is activated once the hydrophilic adhesive layer contacts with water. Therefore, this kind of linerless label has an advantage of reduced cost over a self-adhesive label.
In the prior art, many portable label printers can be used for printing linerless labels and automatically cut a label to a required size once the label is printed so as to achieve immediate printing and labelling. However, after a linerless label is printed, water must be applied to the hydrophilic adhesive layer to activate its adhesive property. Due to complicated movements involved in applying water to the hydrophilic adhesive layer, the linerless label is severely limited with respect to its scope of application.
In view of the above, the Applicant of the present invention has another invention disclosed in CN102615999A titled “A portable linerless label printer”. The portable linerless label printer disclosed in said publication comprises a printing module and a cutting module in front of the printing module, wherein a water application module is positioned in front of the cutting module; the water application module comprises a water container and a water absorptive water application piece disposed at an upper part in the water container; an upper surface of the water application piece is exposed from an upper surface of the water container, a label press is provided on the upper surface of the water container at a position above the water application piece; a gap is provided between the label press and the water application piece for labels to pass through; a water tank is provided at an inner bottom part of the water container; a water pump is provided in the water tank; the water pump is connected with the water application piece via a pipe. This kind of portable linerless label printer achieves automatic water application on the hydrophilic adhesive layer at the back of a linerless label and automatic cutting of the label after the label is printed. Therefore, such prior art linerless label printer integrates the functions of printing, water application and cutting, thereby facilitating the use of linerless labels across a wide range of applications. In order that the water application piece has good water absorption property and good water conductivity, the water application piece in the disclosed Chinese application is designed to have a foam piece at the lower part and multiple layers of non-woven fabrics at the upper part. A water application piece with this kind of complicated structure increases the difficulty of installation; also, after a long period of use, it is possible that the non-woven fabrics and the foam piece may not be always tightly connected with each other; separation between the non-woven fabrics and the foam piece causes deterioration of water application performance of the water application piece.